


Two for One Deal

by adrestia_of_the_long_night



Series: Sky Wars Collection [5]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Bounty Hunter, Coruscant (Star Wars), Coruscant Guard, Crisis on Naboo 4.18, Episode: s04e15 Deception, F/M, Friends & Enemies 4.16, Gen, Guard does it job, M/M, Planet Naboo (Star Wars), Poor Life Choices, Poor Obi-Wan Kenobi, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Prison, The Box 4.17, Two Rako Hardeen, confused Guards, unaware Jedi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-04
Updated: 2020-08-08
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:08:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,968
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25061389
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/adrestia_of_the_long_night/pseuds/adrestia_of_the_long_night
Summary: Deception 4.15Friends & Enemies 4.16The Box 4.17Crisis on Naboo 4.18***Anakin is on a mission for the Jedi Council at the time of the undercover mission so only Obi Wan and Ahsoka are present for Obi Wan’s ‘death’ Rako Hardeen sees an opportunity and after he shoots Obi Wan, he shoots Ahsoka as well, since she witnessed him shooting the Jedi Master.That simple action has far reaching consequences that not even the Jedi Council nor Darth Sidious could have foreseen.
Relationships: Ahsoka Tano & Clone Troopers, CT-7567 | Rex/Ahsoka Tano
Series: Sky Wars Collection [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1773808
Comments: 37
Kudos: 265





	1. Detected Deception

**Author's Note:**

> This ARC will be from the Guard's POV, with some Rex & Ahsoka thrown in for some good measure.
> 
> Anakin will be mentioned but has no idea about anything that has occured.
> 
> Obi Wan goes undercover but has no idea on what has occured to Ahsoka.

***

Ahsoka frowned slightly at Master Kenobi, he had dragged her out to get dinner and then had turned around and was making her return to the Temple because the Council had called an emergency session! It was so frustrating sometimes, if he wanted to spend time with her while Skyguy was off planet on a super-secret mission for the Jedi council that was nice but if he was only bringing her along because of obligation then she didn’t want it. She was supposed to have gone over the 501st barracks and had dinner with Rex and the boys instead Master Kenobi had basically dragged her off with him. She was so caught up in her thoughts that she failed to notice Obi Wan glancing at his comm and bracing himself just before two blaster shots echoed in the empty street.

What just happened, she wondered to herself as she felt herself start to fade in and out of consciousness, the last thing she remembered doing before she fell into the waiting darkness was entering a comm code that Rex had drilled into her into her communicator.

***

The Coruscant Guard arrived shortly after they had received an emergency comm on a GAR emergency frequency, they were shocked to find to fallen Jedi and no Clones at the scene of the apparent ambush.

Thorn paused as he knelt next to General Kenobi, and felt for his pulse, sighing loudly he waved off the medics with a grim look on his face as he directed them to return with a body bag. His attention was drawn over to Stone who was checking on the other victim, and was surprised when he shouted for Commander Fox.

“Fox!” Stone yelled as he moved away from the injured Tortuga who was amazingly still breathing.

“What is it Stone?” questioned Fox as he approached his fellow Commander.

“It’s Rex’s little Commander,” Stone muttered under his breath, as he grabbed Fox’s arm before he could move toward the hurt Padawan. “She’s the one that sent out the alert,” he continued softly, at his words the Guard Commander tossed a confused look over toward the Padawan. “The medics aren’t certain she’s going to survive, apparently the sniper just missed her heart.”

“Osik,” Fox muttered softly, “Are they sure?”

“Yes,” Stone replied as he passed over the datapad with the noted injuries according to the medics so far.

“Why not contact the temple for help?” he questioned, as he watched the medics shift her on a stretcher, before turning his attention to the datapad that Stone had handed him. “Why use a Clone emergency channel?”

“You don’t think…” Stone cut off in disbelief. “You think a Jedi caused this?”

“The 212th General and the 501st Commander BOTH get shot?” Fox shook his head in disbelief, “Not to mention where in kriff is General Skywalker?” as he placed the datapad into his belt.

“Rex mentioned he was off planet,” offered Thorn as he approached the pair.

“She also contacted us and not the Jedi,” Stone informed Thorn, causing his fellow Commander to frown at the news. “That’s questioning just by itself.”

“So, the person who did this is either a Jedi or connected to the Council,” Fox stated bluntly as he walked over to the medics before they secured the door to the transport. “Joker.”

“Yes, Commander?”

“Take her to the GAR medical facility,” Fox directed with a grim tone in his voice. “Don’t inform anyone that she’s alive, unless I authorize it, understand?”

“Yes, Commander,” Joker nodded slightly before asking hesitantly. “Captain Rex?”

“He’s cleared,” Fox replied, he was already dreading the conversation, he was going to be forced to have with the 501st Captain.

“Yes, sir.”

“Fox, do you seriously think that a Jedi did this?” questioned Thire as he approached with Stone and Thorn at his side.

“I don’t know,” he stated as he looked around the crime scene, “and the only one who can tell us anything, might die before she can,” he paused when he spotted a crowd gathering at the edge of the perimeter. “She also contacted the Guard and not the Temple for help, why?” he questioned. “Until we have answers, I don’t want to put a target on the kid’s back.”

“You think they’ll try again?” Stone frowned in concern.

“It’s possible,” Fox lowered his voice slightly. “The only reason she’s alive is because the shooter shot her in the wrong spot for her heart, which tells me they don’t know Tortuga physiology,” he watched as the General’s body was loaded up into a transport. “They may try again to eliminate the remaining witness.”

“We have to find them first,” Stone stated bluntly as his fellow Guard Commanders nodded in agreement.

“No one outside of the Guard can know she’s alive,” Fox gestured toward the nearby transport. 

“What about Rex?”

“Rex will do whatever is necessary to protect her,” Fox provided with a knowing look in his eyes. “He won’t tell anyone anything if it’s in the kid’s best interest.”

“Agreed,” the remaining Commanders nodded in agreement.

“What about the General’s body?” questioned Mayday as he approached the Guard Commanders. “Do we take it to the Temple?”

“No,” Fox countermanded the statement with a shake if his head. “Take the General’s body to the Coruscant Medical facility,” he directed. “That way we can misdirect anyone who’s looking for the Commander’s.”

“Yes, sir,” Mayday saluted as he headed toward the waiting transport.

***

Rex ignored his men as he left the 501st barracks in a rush, he waved off Jesses and Fives when they tried to get his attention after he had received a comm from Fox moments before about the Commander. He headed straight to the awaiting transport not far away from the entrance to the barracks.

“Fives, you’re in charge!” he called out as he jumped into the transport and was greeted by Commander Fox. “What happened?” he growled, he hadn’t been thinking clearly since he had received Fox’s message that merely stated the Ahsoka had been hurt and that a transport is waiting for him outside the barracks and NOT to tell anyone, anything.

“It’s bad,” Fox said grimly as he passed over the datapad that had a rundown of the Commander’s injuries and estimated chance of recovery.

“Osik,” Rex muttered in shock at the report as he felt his face drain of color. “Why didn’t you want me not to inform the General?” he questioned.

“There’s a chance that a Jedi was involved,” Fox held up a hand in order to stop his questions as he explained everything that had happened in the past hour.

“General Kenobi’s dead?” he was stunned.

“A little to the right and so would the Commander,” Fox stated bluntly. “Until we know who it was that shot them and hired the attacker then NOBODY, not Clone, Senator or Jedi can know that she’s alive, not even the Chancellor.”

“You think they’ll try again?”

“Anything is possible,” he shrugged as the transport took a hard right. “We can’t run the risk of it getting out by accident or design, so it’s an inhouse problem at the moment.”

“Then why tell me?”

“Are you going to risk her life by telling Skywalker or a brother?” he questioned as he handed over the Commander’s lightsabers to the Captain.

“No,” he denied hotly, as he clipped the two blades to the underside of his kama.

“That’s why,” Fox nodded in satisfaction, as the transport jolted as they landed. “We’re here.”

***

Fox and Rex paused at the site of the Commander floating in a bacta tank, she was still which was highly unusual for the overly active Padawan.

The medic Kad approached the duo in silence, “Commander Fox?” he questioned as he identified the Coruscant Guard Commander, “Do you mine telling me why there’s a Jedi here and not at the temple?”

“No one can know that she’s alive,” Fox revealed as he tore his eyes away from the Commander. “It’s possible that a Jedi was involved with the attack,” that was the easiest excuse Fox had for concealing the Commander’s current status, at least until he could TALK to her. “The only ones authorized to know she’s here are the Guard and Captain Rex,” he gestured toward the silent 501st Captain standing next to him.

“Are you expecting someone trying to locate her in order to finish the job?” asked Kad in concern for his patient.

“Yes,” Fox replied bluntly. “A General is dead and the only reason the Commander is alive is because they missed her heart.”

“Understood,” Kad nodded as started to enter some information into his datapad. “This wing is secured already; I will direct limited access for the time being.”

“Thank you,” Fox nodded.

“Who’s authorized to order medical treatment for her?” Kad questioned, “Usually the Jedi Master of the Padawan or another Jedi would authorize care…”

“I’m authorized,” Rex stated stunning the pair. “The General authorized me when she first became his Padawan,” he shrugged at their stunned faces. “He wasn’t sure that he wanted to have the responsibility of a Padawan Learner at the time and he kept leaving her in my care.”

“I’ve never heard of a Clone having that type of authority before,” Kad stated.

“Coric had the General sign off on the paperwork and he filed it in case something like this ever happened and she wasn’t conscious and the General wasn’t with us at the time.”

***

Rex was silent as he walked into the Jedi Temple five hours later, he had been forced to leave the Commander’s side when he had been summoned to appear in front of the Jedi Council. He assumed that this was to be about the shooting of General Kenobi and Commander Tano, though how they knew when Fox hadn’t filed his report yet leant credence to Fox’s theory of the Jedi being involved, he thought with a frown appearing on his face. Thankfully, his facial expression was covered by his bucket and as long as he kept his mind clear then the Council would have no reason to doubt his words.

Force help them if it turned out that they had caused this mess to happen, he thought with a flare of angry at the mere thought of the Council being involved with this whole mess.

“Captain Rex, welcome,” Master Yoda stated as he gestured for the Clone Captain to enter the Council Chambers.

“It is an honor to be here, sirs,” Rex replied as he glanced around the room and took inventory of the Jedi Masters who were in attendance either in person or via hologram. There was Yoda, Mace Windu, Plo Koon, Ki-Adi-Mundi, Shaak Ti and Kit Fisto.

“Captain, have you heard form Master Kenobi so far today?” questioned Master Fisto as his hologram flickered slightly.

“Negative, General,” Rex replied with an ease he wasn’t sure that he was capable of feeling today.

“How about young Ahsoka?” questioned Master Ti as she leaned slightly forward in her hologram.

“I spoke with the Commander, earlier today,” Rex replied, slightly stunning the Masters with his confirmation that he had spoken with her. “She was supposed to meet up with me earlier today but she contacted me and informed me that General Kenobi had ordered her to go somewhere with him instead, she said that she would contact me back once she had returned to the Temple.”

“Padawan Tano hasn’t been in contact since then?” asked Master Windu as he glanced over at Master Yoda with a frown on his face.

“Negative, General,” Rex replied as he heard footsteps coming up from behind him, he glanced over and wasn’t at all surprised that Fox had just walked into the Council Chambers without waiting for permission to enter the closed room. Thank the Force, he DID NOT want to be the one who had to inform the Jedi Council about the shooting incident.

“Commander Fox!” Ki-Adi-Mundi voice sounded stunned at the Clone Commander’s audacity in just walking into the Jedi Councils Chambers without being summoned. 

“Generals,” he bowed slightly as he gazed around the room before bluntly stating what had brought him to the Jedi Temple. “General Kenobi is dead.”

“What?!” there was a mild surprise in the room, but only because of WHO was informing them of the Master’s death, they were uncertain how the Coruscant Guard had become involved in this undercover mission.

“What happened?” asked Mace as he raised his hand to steam the questions from his fellow Masters.

“He was shot in the heart,” Fox revealed. “His body has been taken to the Coruscant Medical facility, to await the finishing of the investigation into the shooting of him and Commander Tano.”

“Soka was shot as well?!” Master Koon raised his hand to clutch at his chest.

“Yes, General,” Fox nodded as he gestured with a datapad in his hands. “Both General Kenobi and Commander Tano were shot directly center mass, the General was killed upon impact with the blaster shot.”

“This was not to happen!” Master Koon sounded slightly agitated, as he stood up, moments later his hologram vanished from the room.

The two Clones were quickly ushered out of the Council Chambers after Master Koon’s outburst and the doors were slammed shut behind them.

“They never asked if she was alive,” Rex muttered under his breath as he glanced over at the Temple Guards who were silently standing watch near the Council Chambers entrance.

“You noticed that as well?” Fox mused back as they headed out of the Temple his comm beeped, Fox muttered under his breath to Rex, “They want me to release Kenobi’s body to the Temple.”

“Nothing on the Commander?”

“Nothing.”

***

Commander Fox watched as General Kenobi’s body was offloaded from the transport for handed over to the awaiting Jedi Healers who were assuming control of the investigation into his death. At least according to the message, he had received from Master Windu thirty minutes ago, but nothing about the investigation into the shooting of Commander Tano.

“Commander,” Stone questioned softly as he shifted to stand next to his fellow Commander. “Do we stop the investigation?”

“No,” Fox growled out as he glanced away from the body of General Kenobi. “We were ordered to stop investigating General Kenobi’s death but they said nothing about investigating the Commander’s shooting.”

“Is she going to survive?” he questioned hesitantly.

“The medics said it’s a 50-50 chance rate of survival,” he supplied as the transport took off. “They said it’s going to depend on her overall inner strength if she’s going to have any chance of survival.”

“My credits are on the Commander,” Stone replied with a conviction he felt in the youngling’s strength. “After all she managed to call for help even after she took a blaster shot straight to the chest.”

“Agreed,” Fox nodded in agreement.

“When do you think the Council going to remember to ask about Commander Tano?”

“Soon,” Fox replied. “We have to move fast, I want all hands-on deck when we touch down at the Guard Headquarters, no one sleeps until we get this osik.”

***

When the Guard put their minds together there wasn’t much that they couldn’t complete together, by the time that Fox and Stone had returned from releasing General Kenobi’s body to the Temple they had already tracked down the name of the Bounty Hunter that was responsible for the shooting: Rako Hardeen. Thire and a squad had already headed over to the nearby spaceport to intercept him before he left Coruscant for the Outer Rim.

“How did you manage to track him so rapidly?” Fox questioned Thorn who was coordinating the capture team from his office.

“It wasn’t us,” Thorn replied as he handed Fox a datapad with reports that had came in via a scrambled comm line.

“Was this…”

“Hondo Ohnaka, he’s a pirate and Ventress, a known Sith,” Thorn sounded slightly amused as he stated the two informants. “Apparently Commander Tano is VERY popular, and they didn’t take her getting shot at all that kindly.”

Fox shook his head in disbelief, as he returned the datapad to Thorn, “How did they find out?”

“According to Hondo Ohnaka, he heard about it from a ‘source’ on Coruscant that General Kenobi was killed,” Thorn laughed softly before he continued, “He sent his condolences, but when he found out that the ‘kid’ got hurt it was hands off, he called us and asked, what intel did we need?” he continued he gestured toward a recording of the conversation he had recorded with the pirate. “Targeting a kid, it doesn’t matter that she’s a Jedi, goes against his code.”

“What about Ventress?”

“Ventress gave us his way off planet,” he looked at Fox before he continued, “On condition, we won’t stop her from leaving tonight.”

Fox looked at his fellow Commander in understanding, “Only the once, correct?”

“I made that clear with Ventress,” Thorn nodded. “Thire headed out as soon as Ventress gave us his location.”

***

Rako Hardeen was placed in solitary confinement in a Republic prison at least until the person or persons who had hired him was located and arrested as well and charged with the murder of General Obi Wan Kenobi and the attempted murder of Commander Ahsoka Tano.

Fox sighed as he grabbed his communicator and contacted Rex in order to inform him of the status of the investigation. “Rex?”

“Yeah, Fox?” he questioned softly as he moved around.

“Are you able to speak in private?”

“I’m in my office, let me close the door,” Fox heard some movement and the tell-tale beep of the door being secured. “Did you find them?”

“We found the shooter,” Fox reported. “A bounty hunter by the name of Rako Hardeen, he’s currently sitting in solitary at the moment.”

“Good.”

“We’re still tracking down who paid him to shoot them,” Fox warned. “How’s the Commander?”

“They still have her in the bacta tank,” Rex sighed out loud as he sat down in his chair. “Kad said he may be able to take her out tomorrow afternoon.”

A knock-on Fox’s door caused him to pause in his reply, “Hold on,” he said as he called out for whoever was outside his office to enter. “Blockade?”

“Commander,” Blockade was frowning and slightly shacking his head in utter disbelief, “You’re not going to believe this,” he stated as he passed over a datapad that held a report from the Jedi Council,

Fox was silent as he read through the report, “They arrested Rako Hardeen?” he stated stunned.

“The Guards at the Prison, placed the Jedi’s Rako Hardeen in Solitary as well,” Blockade shrugged in disbelief. “They have no idea on who this fake person is because we already ran the DNA scan on the one, we brought in already.”

“I think we know who hired Rako Hardeen to shoot General Kenobi now,” Rex muttered from the comm where he had been listening the entire time. “But did they also hire him to shoot the Commander?”

“Your right Rex, that is the question,” Fox replied as he tossed the datapad on his desk. “Inform the Guards to keep BOTH Rako Hardeens in Solitary until I tell them otherwise,” he frowned in sudden thought, “Make sure that no information is given to the Jedi at the moment, I will request a meeting with the Council for first thing in the morning, to find out what the Kriff is going on.”

“Yes, Commander.”

***


	2. From Friends 2 Enemies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More investigations and informants

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> no mercy for Obi Wan or the Jedi Council was shown in the writing of this chapter

***

As Fox stormed into the Republic prison early the next morning, he ignored the Troopers who jumped to attention at his arrival. “Report,” he gestured for the waiting datapad. He remained silent as he read through the report that the Jedi had provided when the handed over ‘Rako Hardeen’ late the night before. “They wanted him in General Population?”

“Yes, Commander,” Vex stated as he added on expectedly, “they wanted him bunked with Moralo Eval.”

Fox froze at that, “Lockdown the entire wing, I want EVERY prisoner placed in Solitary confinement until I return,” he ordered swiftly as he moved over to a console and pulled up a roster of all prisoners currently in the requested section. “Transport Cad Bane to Level D as well, keep him away from the Hardeens,” Fox didn’t want the bounty hunter anywhere near the two Hardeens in the off chance that his theory that the second one was actually a Jedi in disguise.

“Yes, Commander,” Vex and gestured for some Guards to follow him as they went to move the prisoners around as Commander Fox ordered.

Fox frowned as he watched the prisoners looked around in confusion as they were placed into lockdown, but the oddest reaction was from Cad Bane who started to curse and yelled at Eval about betraying him. “That’s interesting,” he muttered under his breath as he looked over the rest of the prisoners who were being placed into the cells at the sight of Boba in the room, Fox froze before he grabbed his communicator and directed Vex to pull Boba out and place him into an interview room.

“Sir?”

“If there’s going to be trouble, I don’t want the kid caught up in the middle of it,” Fox replied. “The kid’s only 12 and he shouldn’t even be held here in the first place.”

“Yes, Commander.”

***

Fox entered the Council Chambers for the second time in a span of 12 hours, acknowledging the Temple Guards as he entered the Chambers for his requested meeting with the Jedi Council.

“Commander Fox, you wished to see us?” Yoda greeted the guard Commander.

“Yes, General,” Fox looked around the Council Chambers unlike yesterday there was only two here, General Yoda and General Windu. “I have some questions pertaining to the shooting yesterday.”

“Commander, you were instructed that the Jedi were going to handle that matter,” Windu interrupted with a frown forming on his face as he exchanged glances with Master Yoda. “The bounty hunter responsible for the death of Master Kenobi was taken to the Republic prison by Master Quinlan Vos late last night.”

“And who hired him?” Fox pushed gently in response; he didn’t want to outright accuse the Jedi Council of arranging the shooting.

“The Separatists,” Windu shrugged in response.

“And that is the official story from the Jedi Council on this matter?” Fox questioned shortly, figuring out that they weren’t going to be honest with him about this whole situation.

“Accusing the Jedi of lying, are you?” Yoda sounded surprised that the Clone didn’t believe their version of events.

“Just ensuring that I have the current version of the situation from the Council before I file my report,” Fox replied with a ease as he realized he had an unknown situation in the prison and the possibility of a far greater threat to the Republic that the Jedi were obviously aware of but had zero intent on informing the Commander of the Coruscant Guard. “I don’t want there to be any issues when I file my report.”

“There shouldn’t be any,” Windu replied as he gestured that the conversation was over.

“May the Force be with you, Generals.”

“And with you as well, Commander.”

***

Commander Fox noticed his tail within seconds of gaining one as he left the Jedi Temple, they were good but not THAT good. He ducked into an opening between two pillars as soon as he was out of sight and was greeted by an obviously very confused Jedi youngling with was looking into the crowd for the Guard Commander. 

“You little one, shouldn’t be out here by yourself,” Fox stated as he placed his hand on the youngling’s shoulder and guided her out the way of the foot traffic. As soon as he had them clear he knelt down in front of the young human, who was approximately five standard years.

“You’re the one who’s looking for Soka?” she sounded slightly confused as she bent her head slightly to the side causing her braids to cascade over her shoulder.

“Who said Ahsoka is lost?”

“Master Hana,” she replied with confidence as she reached into her pocket and pulled out a data crystal and pushed it into Fox’s hands.

“What’s this?” Fox sounded amused.

“The data crystal from Master Yoda’s datapad,” she replied with certainty, a look of mischief appearing in her hazel eyes. “I took it when Master Yoda was in the crèche this morning,” she smiled slightly at her own cleverness at out smarting the Grand Master.

Fox clutched the data crystal gently in his hand, “Why did you take it?” he questioned, the crystal would provide invaluable information into the whole shooting incident.

“Cause Master Yoda lied to Master Hana,” she replied grimly.

“He lied?” Fox knew at the youngling’s age he needed to tread carefully, in order to let her provide information at her own pace and not at his.

She nodded her head, “I can SEE when someone lies,” she pointed at her head. “No one can tell a lie around me,” she continued with sense of being far older than she was physically. “Master Hana says I’m a ‘lie tector.”

“A lie detector?” Fox clarified.

“A’huh,” she nodded with so much force her blonde braids swung around her. “Master Yoda said that they had ordered you to stop your ‘vestigation.”

“I see,” Fox wondered if the Jedi Grand Master was aware that his future Jedi were siding with the Clones.

“And then Master Hana asked Master Yoda and Master Windu about Soka,” she continued telling the Clone Commander. “She mumbled about ‘trolls’ and about ‘fools,” she shrugged.

“So why come to me?” he questioned when she stopped rumbling about Master Hana’s comments.

“Cause Soka and Captain Rex said that if there’s ever any trouble to tell a Clone and they’ll help us,” she smiled at the memory. “Master Hana said that we should tell Jedi first though,” she frowned slightly, “but Master Yoda and Master Windu BOTH lied and Soka said to trust you.”

“Who pointed me out to you?” he asked curiously.

“Master Vos,” she replied, “I asked who the Commander was and he pointed you out to me,” she paused to take in a deep breath, “ARE you REALLY called Fox?”

“Yes,” he smiled at her innocence, “And what are you called?”

“Rea-Skyla Risen-Song,” she replied, “but you can call me Sky.”

***

Fox entered the Guard headquarters with a sleeping Sky in his arms.

“Commander, why do you have a Jedi youngling?” Blockade asked as he came to a stop at the sight of the Commander of the Guard with a youngling in his arms.

“This is Rea-Skyla Risen-Song,” Fox introduced as he moved toward a console and inserted the data crystal into it, “and this is the data crystal from General Yoda’s datapad.”

“What?!” Stone moved toward the screen with Thire and Thorn following close behind him. “This is EVERYTHING, from the hiring of the bounty hunter, the mission parameters, the follow-on mission, everything,” he stressed in disbelief. “How did you get this?”

“Meet our informant,” Fox juggled the sleeping youngling gently in his arms. 

“What?” Thorn through a confused around the room before focusing on the youngling, “A Jedi youngling STOLE from the Grand Master of the Jedi Order?”

“Apparently Master Yoda lied, according to Sky,” Fox supplied. “You can’t tell ANY lies around her; she will know instantly.”

“That’s…” Thire looked interested at that information, “That skill will make her an asset in the Justice department or CSF.”

“Why come to us and not to another Jedi?” asked Stone curiously.

“Thank Commander Tano and Captain Rex for that,” Fox replied. “Apparently the last time they were on Coruscant they visited the crèche, and told the younglings that if they were ever in trouble or needed help to ask a Clone for assistance.”

“What are you going to do with the youngling?” asked Thorn.

“I’m going to take her over to the medical and turn her over to Rex to return to the Temple,” he shrugged. “I promised her that she could go see Ahsoka if she promised she wouldn’t tell anyone until we found out who hurt her.”

“Trusting a five-year-old with that information?”

“I’m trusting someone who got us that data crystal and who understands the world more then any youngling should,” Fox replied as Sky shifted slightly in his arms.

“I promise I won’t tell,” Sky whispered, as she turned her head to look at the gathered Guard members, “Soka trusted you so I trust you to help her.”

***

“How’s the Commander?” Fox demanded as he pushed the Jedi youngling into Rex’s arms, pausing just long enough to ensure that Rex had ahold of her before releasing his grip.

“Sleeping,” he gestured toward the occupied bed on the other side of the hospital room.

“Has she said anything about the attack yet?” he questioned as he approached the resting Padawan.

“Nothing about the attack,” Rex supplied as he joined Fox next to the bed. “When Kad first had her removed from the bacta tank she asked if we had gotten her comm,” Rex closed his eyes before opening them to gaze at the injured Commander. “I let her know that we had,” he shallowed hard before continuing, “she passed out as soon as she was reassured her comm had gone through to the Guard for help.”

“Osik,” Fox muttered as he pulled out a datapad from his belt and placed it on the nearby table for Rex to read over. “A complete copy of the investigation so far,” he stated as he grabbed his comm to check the incoming message from Stone. “And that is our informant, Jedi initiate Rea-Skyla Risen-Song,” he introduced the silent youngling whose eyes were glued to the sleeping Padawan.

At Rex’s questioning look, he gestured toward the datapad. “Answers are on there,” he stated as he moved to head out, “I have to go interview our twin Rako Hardeens at the prison and Sky can’t come with me, so just keep her entertained and return her to the Temple before curfew.”

“Roger that,” Rex replied as he released the youngling to sit on the bed next to Ahsoka as he grabbed the datapad, he needed answers as to this ‘informant.’

***

Fox entered the integration room that contained Boba first, the kid had been in there for most of the day and probably deserved some answers.

“How are you doing Boba?” Fox asked as he placed the dinner tray in front of the young Clone.

“Why am I in here?” he questioned as he looked up from the table.

“There was an issue with a set of prisoners,” Fox stated, he realized that Boba was surprised that he was actually telling him and not just blowing off his question. “Two men with the name of Rako Hardeen have been arrested and are both being held here, since we’re unsure of the reason for someone to pose as a bounty hunter, I assumed that it was a possibility of an incident occurring here,” he continued as he glanced over at the camera in the corner of the room. “I had you moved in case they tried anything.”

“Rako Hardeen?” Boba asked surprised, “They said he killed a Jedi.”

“He killed one and critically injured a second,” Fox supplied. “General Kenobi and Commander Tano.”

“Tano?” Boba looked up with a sense of dread forming in his stomach, “Is she?”

“Recovering,” Fox replied. “We still don’t know why it happened though,” he shrugged as he moved to exit the room and leaving the younger Clone to eat in peace.

“Eval was talking about a abduction bounty that was put on the Chancellor,” Boba blurted out as the older Clone stopped mid-step, “Grievous put the location as the Festival of Light.”

“Thank you, Vod’ika,” Fox moved toward the younger Clone and touched their foreheads together in thanks.

***

Fox paused outside the solitary confinement room that held the fake Rako Hardeen and who he figured had to be a Jedi Knight that was undercover, he continued on to the next solitary confinement room that held the ACTUAL Rako Hardeen that his men had brought in. The one he wanted answers from, before he even attempted to figure out the Jedi’s game with the copy.

He waved his hand at the sensor and a two-way mirror activated and he gazed into the eyes of the man who had shot two Jedi the day before. “Why did you shoot the youngling?” he didn’t care for any other information from the bounty hunter, he’d figured that the rest of the information was in the data crystal that Stone was still going through at the HQ.

“What?”

“Why did you shoot the Tortuga?”

“Because she saw me shoot Kenobi,” he growled. “They instructed me to ensure that no one saw me kill the Jedi Master but the stupid kid had seen me trailing them earlier.”

“Why?”

“It’s what the customers wanted,” he shrugged as he turned over in his bed, promptly ignoring the Clone Commander at the door. “They also ensured me that no one would charge me for it either.”

Fox muttered as he shut off the two-way mirror and stepped back from the bounty hunter’s cell before he did something stupid. He glanced over toward the Jedi’s Hardeen and choose NOT to speak with the Jedi Knight, he decided to let him stew in his cell in confusion as to why he was being locked up in solitary confinement and wasn’t in General Population like the Council no doubt had planned on.

As he thought of everything that had happened that day and what he had learnt the more he was leaning toward the identity of the Jedi Knight or rather the Jedi Master who was posing as Rako Hardeen. The one thing he knew at the moment was that until Commander Tano was awake and able to tell her side of the story then Kenobi could sit in that cell until the end of the war.

***


	3. Destroying the Box

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reports and Statements

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> no mercy for the Council was shown in this chapter

***

Fox sighed out loud as he finished typing his initial report to be submitted to the Chain of Command after the shooting incident. He had opted NOT to put in any of his theories about Kenobi not being dead and was posing as the Bounty Hunter Rako Hardeen and was currently sitting in Solitary Confinement at the Republic Prison.

He really should go talk to the him today but he had more important things to do today, he had just gotten off the comm with Rex, Ahsoka was awake and talking.

He pushed send on his report before leaving to go meet with the 501st Commander.

***

CLASSIFIED REPORT

Initial Report Started

From: CC-1010, Coruscant Guard Commander  
To: Grand Army of the Republic (GAR)  
Jedi Council, Jedi Temple, Coruscant  
Republic Senate, GAR Overview Committee  
Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker, General 501st Legion  
CC-2224, Marshall Commander 212th Attack Legion  
CT-7567, Captain 501st Legion

Cover Sheet  
Initial Report on the Case File Number 027-5863-7B-1  
Case Officer: CC-1010

Victims:  
Victim 1: Jedi Master Obi Wan Kenobi, High General of the GAR, General of the 212th Attack Legion  
Victim 2: Jedi Padawan Ahsoka Tano, Commander of the 501st Legion, Padawan Learner to Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker, General of the 501st Legion

Suspects:  
Suspect 1: Rako Hardeen  
Suspect 2: Rako Hardeen

Informants: (Identities Classified due to ongoing investigation)  
Informant 1: Classified  
Informant 2: Classified  
Informant 3: Classified  
Informant 4: Classified

Exhibit:  
Exhibit A: Classified

Summary:

The Coruscant Guard Headquarters received a Clone Distress Signal on the GAR Emergency Channel at 1937. Upon arrival at the location on level 147, it was to the discovery of two injured Jedi.

Victim 1 was deceased upon arrival (DOA) at the scene and was transported to the Coruscant Medical Facility for further examination. Cause of death appeared to be a blaster shot directly to the heart.

Victim 2 was critically injured in the firefight but was still alive upon the Guards arrival at the scene. Victim 2 is being held at a secured location until arrival of Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker, General of the 501st Legion. Victim 2 managed to contact the Coruscant Guard for assistance despite having been shot center mass. Medical personnel theorize that the shooter did not have prior knowledge of Tortuga physiology.

Jedi Council was notified of Victim 1 status at 2100. Guard was unable to provide status of Victim 2 due to dismissal by Jedi Council.

Jedi Council requested release of Victim 1’s body at 2115.

Coruscant Guard released Victim 1’s body to Jedi Temple Healers at 2145.

Informant 1 provided identity of Bounty Hunter Rako Hardeen as the shooter at 2150.

Informant 2 provided the Bounty Hunter’s Rako Hardeen mode of transportation off Coruscant at 2156.

Coruscant Guard ordered by Jedi Council to stop investigation into the death of Victim 1 at 2200. Investigation into Victim 2’s shooting ongoing.

CC-4477 apprehended Suspect 1 at 2210. Suspect 1 was transported to the Republic Prison and placed in Solitary Confinement at 2224. Genetic scan verified identity.

Jedi Master Quinlan Vos turned in Suspect 2 to the Republic Prison at 0045. Suspect 2 was placed in Solitary Confinement at 0102. Genetic report requested to identify Suspect 2. Unknown at time of report.

Informant 3 provided intelligence about the hiring of Bounty Hunter Rako Hardeen by Jedi Council as directed by Chancellor Palpatine. (Exhibit A)

Informant 4 provided intelligence on kidnapping attempt in planning stage against Chancellor Palpatine. (Secondary Investigation has been open: Initial Report on the Case File Number 098-52248-369-88Z-1)

Initial Report Ended

***

Fox paused as he entered the private medical room that Commander Tano had been moved to after she had awakened, of everything he had expected to see when he had walked into the room this wasn’t at all in his thought process.

“Sky?” he questioned as he approached the trio who were sitting on the Commander’s bed.

“Fox!” the five-year-old grinned as she held her arms up in the universal ‘pick me up’ gesture.

“What are…” he glanced over at a grinning Rex, who held his hands up in defeat.

“She was outside the barracks this morning waiting on me,” he shrugged, and raised his hands up to defend his head from Commander Tano’s pillow attack. “Soka!”

“Rex,” she countered.

“Fox!” Sky continued the game with an easy grin.

“Sky,” Fox replied as he passed over an updated datapad to Rex and sat down in a nearby chair as he shifted Sky to sit on his lap facing the bed. “How are you Commander?”

“Alive,” she replied. “Kad said that it’s thanks to you finding me so fast.

“It’s because of your comm that even allowed us to find you at all,” he countered. “How…?” he questioned.

“Muscle memory,” she shrugged lightly as she glanced over at Rex before returning her attention to Fox, “Rex drilled me in the GAR emergency protocols until I could do them blindfolded.”

“I told you it was worth it,” the 501st Captain stated with a frown appearing on his face at the thought of what might have occurred if he hadn’t taken the time to instruct her on the emergency protocols.

“You did,” she stated when she sensed his thoughts. “I don’t even have the Jedi emergency comms memorized like that,” she shook her head lightly.

“What do you remember?” asked Fox as Sky shifted around in his lap in order to wrap her her arms around his left arm.

“Master Kenobi wanted me to go with him outside the Temple,” she frowned as she looked down, “I don’t know WHY though, he knew I was meeting Rex but he said that I HAD to go with him but we didn’t even make it anywhere before he was called back to the Temple for an emergency Jedi Council meeting,” she looked up at Fox, and she could see the answer in his eyes, she shallowed before she whispered, “there wasn’t a meeting, was there?”

“No, Commander,” Fox replied as he nodded to Rex to hand her the datapad so she could see the report so far.

It was silent for awhile as she read the report, the only sounds were her surprised gasps as she read different sections, she swore in Huttesse when she got to his last update, he had made prior to coming here to meet with her. “They ARRANGED this? The Kriffing Council PAID him to…” she trailed off as her eyes widen in a dangerous thought process, “Did Master Kenobi and Master Skywalker know?”

“From what I can find out, General Skywalker is unaware of what has occurred, although he will be questioned prior to your location being provided to him” Fox replied, he had to force himself to continue though, “General Kenobi was aware though,” he gazed directly back into her eyes, “It is my belief that General Kenobi is alive and is currently sitting in a cell at the prison posing as the bounty hunter who murdered him.”

“Osik,” Rex cursed as he shifted to sit next to Ahsoka and pulled her into his arms, ignoring the protocol in this situation. “They…”

“Yes,” Fox replied as he closed his free arm around the softly crying Sky.

“Did they pay to have me shot?” she asked as she pushed herself more firmly into Rex’s hold. “To make the story more believable?”

“I don’t know,” Fox replied quietly. “The bounty hunter said he was instructed not to leave any witnesses.”

“Osik,” she muttered as she placed the datapad down on the bed. “If there was a chance of the bounty hunter going rogue, why did the Council use him?” she questioned as she started to play with her hospital gown.

“According to him, he said you had seen him earlier that night,” Fox replied.

“What?” she frowned as she picked up the datapad again and pulled up his image. “No, I don’t recognize him at all.”

“Are you positive?”

“Yes.”

“She’s telling the truth,” Sky supplied as she twisted in Fox’s hold. “She didn’t see him.”

“Then why did he say you did?” Fox frowned at the two conflicting statements.

“Either he’s lying or he was spotted by someone else,” Rex blurted out. “And the only other Jedi female Tortuga is Master Shaak Ti.”

“Well it’ll be easy to find out if she was planetside at the time of the incident,” Fox grabbed his comm and sent a message to Thorn to check into the alibi of Master Ti.

“Have you filed your report yet?” asked Ahsoka curiously.

“The initial report,” Fox replied, “I cc’d Rex on it.”

Ahsoka handed the datapad over to Rex to have him pull up his secure communication reports and grabbed it back from him in order to read the report herself.

Fox merely shook his head at the pair reading his CLASSIFIED report together, “I should just add her to the distro,” he muttered to Sky who was giggling silently at the sight of the Captain and Commander cuddling together on the bed reading the report over together.

Ahsoka whistled when she got to the end of his report, “The Council is going to be MAD,” she muttered under her breath as she glanced over at the Guard Commander just as his comm started to go off in rapid bursts.

“It’s starting!” Sky laughed as Fox fumbled with his comm and dropped it on the floor.

Rex cursed as well when his comm started to go off as well, “Osik.”

Ahsoka joined Sky in laughing until her comm started going off as well, she picked it up and cursed in Huttesse, “It’s Skyguy.”

Kad walked into the room, curious about all the comms going off at once, “Is everything alright in here?” he questioned as the three adults in the room looked at their comms with varying degrees of unease apparent on their faces.

“You have three guests tonight Commander,” Fox stated as he muted his comm after sending a message to Stone about where he was, “It’s too late to deal with this.”

Rex muttered his agreement as he messaged Fives that he wouldn’t be back to the barracks tonight and he’d see him in the morning.

Ahsoka merely muted her’s without replying to any of the comms, after all she was still on bedrest, and she wasn’t ready to deal with either her Master or the Council at the moment.

“I will have someone bring you in some blankets and pillows,” Kad said as he walked out of the room with out waiting for a reply.

***


	4. Internal Crisis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fallen Law and New Friends.

***

(Commander Fox’s Office)

Fox visible sighed as he entered his office the following morning, he had finished getting Commander Tano’s statement from her this morning.

“Commander Fox!” shouted Ponds as he jumped up from the seat he was in and stormed up to the Commander of the Coruscant Guard. “What was the meaning if this report,” he waved a locked datapad of the Guard’s report on the shooting.

Fox frowned slightly, “How did you get that?” he questioned as he glanced over at his Guards who were still working on their reports from the arrest of Rako Hardeen.

“It’s locked, General Windu called me earlier and yelled about you accusing the Council in hiring a bounty hunter to shoot General Kenobi,” he trailed off when he realized that Fox was looking at his oddly.

“We are not investigating the murder of General Kenobi,” Fox corrected slowly, “We are investigating the attempted murder of Commander Tano.”

“What?” Ponds seemed to deflate at that news.

“Did you even read the report?” quizzed Fox as he gestured toward the datapad his fellow Commander was holding. Feeling sorry for him he grabbed it and unlocked the report and handed it to him so he could read the report himself instead of reacting based on what the Jedi Council had told him.

Commander Gree and Commander Cody both stormed into the room approximately twenty minutes later, both started to demand answers as Cody slammed a copy of the report onto his desk.

“What is the meaning of this?” Cody demanded as he glared at the Guard Commander.

Fox looked down at the report and slowly stated, “It’s my report into the investigation of Commander Tano’s shooting,” he glanced at the three Commanders that had taken over his office. He spotted Thire and Thorn in the corner of his eye and when he turned and attempted to get their attention, he was greeted with a wave as his fellow Commanders exited the building. “Cowards,” he muttered as he turned his attention to the waiting Commanders.

“I want answers,” Cody demanded. “Why aren’t you investigating General Kenobi’s shooting?”

“The Guard was ordered to stop all investigation into the murder of General Kenobi,” Fox stated.

“By who?” Cody’s voice had gone deadly quiet.

“The Jedi Council,” he replied as he moved to take a seat at his desk, he gestured for his fellow Commanders to take a seat as well.

“What about Commander Tano?” Cody questioned as he recalled Rex’s little Jedi. “Is she alright?”

“Unfortunately, the status and location of Commander Tano is classified until I have the opportunity to speak with General Skywalker,” he paused as he glanced between Gree and Ponds, “and the Jedi Council about their role in this mess.”

“So, she’s alive,” Cody deduced at Fox’s wording.

“You think that the Jedi Council, ORDERED their shooting?” Gree sounded stunned.

“Yes,” Fox replied, “I have enough evidence to justify an internal investigation into both the Jedi Council as well as into the office of the Supreme Chancellor.”

“Osik,” Ponds muttered as he lowered his head into his hands as he realized the magnitude of the storm that was about to hit the Republic. “If it comes out that the Council and Chancellor authorized that hit…”

“The Council and Senate WILL fall,” General Koon interrupted as he and Commander Wolffe entered the room. The Jedi Master looked as though someone had gutted him using a blunted vibroblade. “Which we will deserve for causing this,” he continued as Wolffe stood at his side, looking at everywhere except at his brothers.

“General Koon,” Fox stood up slowly as he gazed at the Counsel member in stunned disbelief, “You shouldn’t say anything…” he proceeded to caution him on his rights.

The Jedi Master waved his hand to dismiss the Guard Commander’s words, “I have made my peace with whatever judgement will fall to me,” he stated as he looked at Fox directly in the face, “Tell me is little Soka alive?”

“General,” Fox started as he paused before continuing, “I can not inform you about her current medical condition, but I can tell you that she is alive.”

Master Koon collapsed into a nearby chair as he exhaled and grabbed Wolffe’s arm tightly, “Thank the force,” he muttered under his breath. “Commander Fox, I am ready to make my statement,” he stated as he gestured for the Commanders to remain, “I am done with secrets.”

Fox grabbed a datapad and activated the holo recorder, “Please state your name for the record.”

***

(Republic Prison)

“Are you sure that you want to do this?” questioned Fox as he and Cody walked to the cell that contained the fake Rako Hardeen.

“Yes,” Cody replied as he nodded to Fox to unlock the door.

“Rako Hardeen, you have a guest,” Fox stated, speaking to the fake bounty hunter for the first time since he had been brought in.

“Who?” he demanded as he stormed to the entrance of his cell, “And why have I been locked up here this entire time?!”

“I’d watch what you say,” Cody interrupted as he moved into sight of his General.

“Cody?” came a disbelieving whisper from the male who looked as though he was unwilling to believe that the Commander was there.

“I am here in order to,” Cody paused, he WAS suppose to say that they knew that he was a Jedi and that he was going to be released instead he thought of the headache as well as the heartache the General had caused for both the 212th and the 501st and decided to return the favor, “to inform you that you have also been charged with the death of Commander Ahsoka Tano,” he reached past Fox and shut the door on Kenobi’s demand for answers.

“Cody…” Fox stated as he glanced at the Marshall Commander, “Tano’s not dead.”

“I know,” Cody looked between from the closed cell where he could hear Kenobi’s call for Cody to return, to explain, “But after all this, he can sweat it out a little,” he shrugged.

“You have been spending to much time around Skywalker,” Fox shook his head in disbelief.

***

(Jedi Council Chambers)

“What happened to Ahsoka?” demanded Anakin Skywalker as he stormed into the Council Chambers with Fives and Jesse trailing behind him, both still slightly stunned at their General’s behavior since his arrival back on planet.

“Knight Skywalker,” Mace started to censure the Knight who had interrupted the Council meeting. “This is a…”

“Tell me,” Anakin demanded as he waved a datapad with a that held the report from Commander Fox. “Obi Wan is DEAD and Ahsoka was nearly KILLED, and no one bothered to TELL ME!” he growled as slammed the datapad on the ground in front of Master Yoda. “What type of Jedi LIE?”

***  
(HoloNet News)

Supreme Chancellor Indicted! Jedi Masters Indicted!

Supreme Chancellor Shiv Palpatine has bee indicted on charges of Solicitation of Murder for Hire, Attempted First Degree Murder, Illegal Use of Republic Funds, and Child Endangerment.

Members of the Jedi Council have been indicted on the charges of Solicitation of Murder for Hire, Attempted First Degree Murder, Child Neglect, and Child Endangerment.

More charges are forth coming according to Senator Amidala from Naboo.

As quoted from the Senator, “We must show the Republic Citizens that no one is above the law, not the Jedi Council and most currently not the Supreme Chancellor.”

***

(Commander Fox’s Office)

Fox swore as soon as he spotted the incoming Jedi that was storming toward his office, Anakin Skywalker, the Hero with no fear, the Chosen One and it looked like he wanted to rip Fox’s head off of his shoulders.

“General Skywalker,” Fox stood up, ensuring to keep his desk between himself and the hotheaded Jedi Knight. “Welcome back to Coruscant.”

“Where is she?” Anakin demanded as he waved Fives and Jesse to remain quiet. “Where is Ahsoka?”

“I can not tell you that General,” Fox replied even as Fives and Jesse both motioned to NOT say that to the General.

“You CAN’T?!”

“I can not tell you her status until I get your side of the situation,” Fox continued as though Anakin had never spoken, he waved the Jedi to take a seat and motioned toward the holo recorder, “If you would like to get this over with, so you can see your Padawan?” Fox questioned shortly.

“Fine,” Anakin growled, as both Fives and Jesse looked at each other in disbelief, they had only ever seen Anakin not argue with General Kenobi before. “Ask your QUESTIONS,” he stressed the final word as though he couldn’t believe that a Clone was daring to disobey him.

“Were you involved in the hiring of Rako Hardeen?”

“No.”

“Did you ask the Chancellor to shoot your former Master and Padawan?

“No.”

“Were you involved in the payment of Rako Hardeen?”

“No.”

“Were you aware of the undercover mission arranged by the Chancellor and the Jedi Council?”

“No.”

“Were you aware of General Kenobi’s fake death?”

At this question, Anakin’s face drained of all color, as he forced out a, “NO,” he clutched his hands into fists as he glanced toward the two Clones standing behind him. Both Fives and Jesse looked as though they had been gutted at that news. “Obi Wan’s not dead?”

“No,” Fox found himself frowning as he was now the one being questioned.

“Where is he?”

“Sitting in a Jail Cell,” Fox commented before he glanced straight at the Jedi Knight, before adding warily, “Where he’s going to remain until Commander Cody decides to release him.”

“Cody?”

“General Kenobi was released to the Marshall Commander earlier today,” Fox stated as he glanced toward the datapad on his desk, “He opted to leave him in his cell until he learnt his lesson on lying to his friends and family.”

“Good for Cody,” Anakin muttered, as he realized that he probably would have done the exact same thing if he had been in the Marshall Commander’s position.

“What were you told about the reason you were needed off world?”

“It was a mission from the Council,” Anakin replied, unsure of the line of questioning, his eyes widen as he realized what exactly Fox was getting at. “They wanted me off planet, in order to…”

“Yes,” Fox nodded, “Do you have idea on why your Padawan would have been targeted?”

“No, I do not,” Anakin spit out, “What do you mean, targeted?”

“Someone, we are unsure of who exactly at the moment, gave Rako Hardeen the additional order to shoot any witnesses who had seen him, someone who posed as your Padawan, was spotted by the bounty hunter,” he paused as he gaze the Jedi Knight some time to process what he had been told.

“Continue,” Anakin gripped the edge of Fox’s deck in a death grip.

“That is the reason why she had been shot as well, someone modified his orders in order to include her,” Fox glanced at the 501st Clones who looked as though they wanted to go on a rampage through the Senate and Jedi Council until they found who had made that order. “Who would want your Padawan dead?”

“I don’t know.”

“Who would want to remove her from you?” at Anakin’s confused look, Fox expanded on the question, “Who would want to remove her influence on you? Who in your circle would gain, if you lost your Padawan due to a mission by your former Master?”

Anakin’s eyes widen as he slammed them shut, only one person came to his mind, and even as he valiantly denied it, he forced himself to name them, “The Supreme Chancellor,” he paused as he felt his heart break, “He doesn’t like the fact that I have Padawan, and that I still work primary with Obi Wan in the field.”

“Kill two birds with one stone,” Fives state suddenly as he glanced at his General, “The end result leaves you alone, except for the Chancellor.”

“Easier to control,” Anakin added on as he felt his entire life collapse underneath him at the revelation.

“What I don’t understand is if this mission was under the jurisdiction of the Jedi Council, then how did the Guard become involved?” questioned Jesse.

“Commander Tano contacted us on the Clone emergency band,” Fox revealed as he leaned back in his chair and crossing his arms over his chest, “If she hadn’t, she would’ve bled out before anyone found them.”

“How would Ahsoka have the Guard emergency number?” questioned Anakin with mild confusion in his voice.

“Captain Rex gave it to her,” Fox replied dryly as he glanced a the equally confused Clones, “According to the Commander, he drilled her in the emergency procedures until she knew them blindfolded,” Fox uncrossed his arms and reached for the datapad on his desk, “and it’s a good thing he did.”

“Jedi aren’t supposed to have it,” Fives replied.

Fox shrugged in return, “There’s nothing in the regs that state that they can’t.”

Anakin was silent as he thought of what he had learned and one thing stroke him as odd, “Rex.”

“General?” Jesse looked at the General in confusion.

“Where’s Captain Rex?” Anakin looked Fox dead in the eye and watched as shutters closed over the Guard Commanders face.

“Where do you think he is?” countered Fox.

Anakin closed his eyes as he silently thanked the Force that Ahsoka had Rex at her side during all of this, “Does she know?”

“Yes,” replied Commander Fox as he finished the recording and motioned for the group to follow him, “If you would follow me, General?”

***

(GAR Medical Facility)

When the transport came to a stop in front of the GAR Medical Facility, Fox could feel the wave of uncertainty from the General and the Clones that were with him. They were probably wondering why he had brought them to the Clone only medical facility and not to the Coruscant medical facility.

“Commander Fox?” Anakin questioned as they headed toward the entrance and was greeted by a Clone Medic, who paused at the sight of the men following the Guard Commander.

“You brought friends?” Kad questioned as he realized that this must be Commander Tano’s Jedi Master, General Skywalker.

“General Skywalker, Fives and Jesse,” Fox pointed toward each man as he introduced them to the medic before gesturing toward the medic in front of them, “This is Medic Kad.”

“Kad,” Anakin bent his head in acknowledgement as the clone escorted them into the facility handing everyone except Fox a pass into the facility.

“Ensure you keep your pass visible the entire time while you are within the facility,” Kad cautioned as he led the way into the secured section of the facility.

Commander Fox trailed the group toward Commander Tano’s room, he could already hear Sky and the Commander talking, as well as an unknown female. “Kad, who’s in there?”

“Master Hana,” the medic replied, “she showed up asking for her charge,” he shrugged, he didn’t know how the Jedi Master had known that the initiate was there, but she did and said that she knew that whatever had caused her to come here, must have been the will of the force. “I brought you some guests, Commander Tano,” he called out as the group entered the room.

“Fox!” Sky called out as soon as she spotted the Guard Commander, already struggling in Master Hana’s hold to get closer to the clone.

“Master!” Ahsoka was stunned at the site of her Master being in her room, she hadn’t seen or spoken to him since he had left on his mission. “Fives! Jesse!” she grinned as she waved them over toward her bed, since Kad still refused to allow her to move around at the moment and Rex was enforcing the medic’s orders. “You’re here!”

“Commander,” Fives shouted as he moved forward and hugged the Padawan as before he reached out to grab Rex’s arm in acknowledgement. “How are you doing, ma’am?” he questioned as he moved over to allow Jesse to hug her before the General swept her up into his arms.

Fox studied the reunion between Master and Padawan as he approached Sky and Master Hana, as soon as he was within reaching distance the little girl lunged for him and he was forced to wrap his arms around both her and Master Hana in order to ensure that she didn’t fall to the ground. “Sky!” he cautioned as he exchanged amused glances with the crèche Master, who released her hold on her charge once she was certain he had a tight hold on her.

“You must be Commander Fox,” she mussed as she studied the clone that Sky wouldn’t stop talking about since she had first encountered him.

“Yes, ma’am,” Fox nodded as he shifted Sky to straddle his hip.

“Snips, why didn’t you contact me?” demanded Anakin as he collapsed on the nearby bed as he glanced around the room and was shocked to see the crèche Master in the room along with one of her charges. “Master Hana?”

“Knight Skywalker,” she nodded as she took in his look of disbelief at her presence in Padawan Tano’s recovery room, she watched as his gaze was drawn to the usually stannic Commander Fox and the youngling in his arms.

“Master, I was in a bacta tank,” Ahsoka stated as gestured toward Kad who was standing near the entrance to her room. “I couldn’t contact you!”

Anakin frowned as his gaze returned to his Padawan and his Captain who was standing next to her, “Are you ok?” he questioned as he realized that he didn’t like the fact that her condition had been kept from him.

“Yes, Master,” she sighed as she struggled in order to sit up but was prevented by Rex who gently pushed her back down.

“Stay down, Commander Tano,” Kad directed as he moved toward her to check that she hadn’t reinjured herself. “If you cannot control yourself, I will send everyone away,” he had quickly learned from overhearing the 501st Captain that the threat was the best method in order to ensure compliance from the Padawan.

“You’ve been taking lessons from Rex,” she frowned as she glared between the medic and Captain, between the two of them she had been forced to rest. “You two keep ganging up on me.”

“Then don’t give us a reason too,” Rex teased as he glanced up when he felt someone staring at him and was mildly surprised to see that it was General Skywalker that was studying him. “General Skywalker?” he questioned as he moved to stand slightly away from the Commander.

Anakin was silent as he studied his Padawan and Captain, not for the first time he wondered just how close of a relationship the pair had. It must have been far closer than he or Obi Wan had realized simply by the fact that the Captain had no problem lying to his men and ignoring his General’s comms over the past few days. It made him realize that he needed to spend more time with his Padawan and stop leaving her in the Captain’s care while they were on Coruscant.

“Thank you for watching over her,” he stated as he shoved his thoughts away, they were not for today and judging by the simple fact that Ahsoka was shifting back towards the Captain if she was going to recover from this betrayal then she would need her attachment with the Captain.

“Yes, General,” Rex replied as he shifted slightly in order to allow Ahsoka to feel his armor at her back, he could see the tension easing from her tense shoulders.

The tension in the room slowly eased away as they started to talk about the entire situation amongst each other, with Commander Fox providing the current status of the situation with the Council and Senate.

“Really?” Ahsoka was stunned at the news that the Supreme Chancellor had been removed from office and that there was an ongoing investigation into some items that had been found in his office. She wondered what it was, but Fox refused to tell them anything, only that if it turned out to be true that it would ‘shake the very ground of the Republic’ and they would have to wait to find out once the investigation ended.

It was late by the time everyone started to say their goodbyes and leave her hospital room until finally it was just her, Rex and Anakin.

“Master I am fine,” she stressed as the Knight studied her quietly, “You need to go see Master Kenobi,” she reminded him as he finally nodded his head in agreement, as he moved to leave the room, finally leaving her and Rex alone. 

“He’s worried about you,” the Captain stated as he fiddled with his comm badge.

“I know,” she sighed as looked down as she studied the datapad in her hands. “I just can’t believe that all this has happened.”

They were interrupted when the door emitted a beep, and the door opened revealing Commander Cody who looked as though he had been through a battle.

“Cody,” Rex called out to his Vod who looked confused as he approached the duo, “What happened?”

“I released General Kenobi from prison,” he stated as he removed his bucket before collapsing on the chair that Anakin had been sitting in earlier. “He wasn’t very happy with me since I told him that Commander Tano was dead,” he trailed off as both Rex and Ahsoka looked at him in disbelief.

“You told him I was DEAD?”

Cody held up his hands as he tried to explain his reasoning, “I was annoyed with him and he faked his DEATH and I MOURNED for him…”

“Cody…”

“He LIED,” Cody stated with disbelief in his voice as he looked between the pair, “Why did he lie, vod’ika?” he pleaded to Ahsoka to answer for him.

“I don’t know why Cody,” she replied as she started to twist the edge of the sheet as she thought of everything that had happened since she had been shot.

The Marshall Commander jerked forward in order to clasp the Padawan to him

Rex moved around the bed in order to wrap his arms around the 212th Commander who had wrapped himself around the Jedi Commander. Rex meet Ahsoka’s gaze as Cody started to cry as the stress from everything that had occurred over the past days was finally released and he allowed himself to mourn for his fallen General as well as the lost of his faith in the Jedi.

Later that evening during his rounds Kad paused at the sight in front of him, his patient was sound asleep in the middle of the embrace of two fully armored Clones, he worried slightly that she might be uncomfortable but judging by the relaxed expressions on their faces, there was no problems with them resting this way.

***

(Outside the Jedi Temple)

Fox paused as he exited the Temple, he had just finished escorting Master Hana and Sky back to the crèche but was only permitted to leave once he had promised Sky and her crèche mates that he and some of the Guards would come visit them soon. He shook his head as he wondered how Thorn and the others would react to having to visit a bunch of 3 and 6-year-old mini Jedi.

“Commander Fox,” called out a Jedi who emerged from the shadows, his dark clock bellowing around him.

“Master Vos,” Fox saluted the Jedi in greeting, he was mildly confused as to why the Shadow Jedi was talking to him, the Jedi Master had the reputation of avoiding having anything to do with the Clones. “Is there something that I can do for you, sir?” he questioned as he ensured that he remained in line of sight of the Temple Guards.

“You and your men have caused the Council some problems,” Quinlan bluntly stated as he took his time running his eyes over the Coruscant Guard Commander. “Apparently you can’t follow orders,” he scoffed.

“General Vos,” he started infusing his voice with his renowned calmness, “My men and I followed every order that had been given to us by the High Council.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes,” Fox stressed, as he waved his hands in front of the Jedi Master, “We were ordered to stop all investigation into General Kenobi’s murder, which we DID.”

Vos frowned at that news, apparently, he hadn’t known of that, “Is that so?”

“We were only authorized to investigate the shooting of Commander Tano,” Fox stated.

Vos closed his eyes as he realized the loophole that the Jedi Council had inadvertently given the Guard Commander, “And of course you followed orders,” he sighed as he looked directly at Fox’s visor.

“As we were trained to do,” Fox replied, as he pivoted and started down the stairs leading away from the Jedi Temple unaware that Master Vos was studying him.

Quinlan didn’t understand why his gaze was drawn to the Guard Commander, but he did know one thing for certain and that was that he was going to be visiting the Guard Headquarters and learning more about it’s fair Commander in the coming days.

***

(Jedi Master Obi Wan Kenobi’s Quarters, Jedi Temple)

Obi Wan studied himself in the mirror in his quarters, after so long with the face of Rako Hardeen looking back at him it was strange to see his own face in looking back at him in the mirror.

The chime at his door announcing that he had a visitor momentarily surprised him, “Come in,” he called out as he moved toward the entrance to his rooms. “Anakin,” he gasped in surprised at the sight of his former Padawan.

“Obi Wan,” Anakin replied as he entered and the door closed behind him, closing the pair in the darken chambers.

“Are you mad at me as well?” Obi Wan questioned as he collapsed into a nearby chair, “because it appears that everyone is currently upset with me over the Council’s mission,” he lowered his head into his hands as he groaned outload and slowly raised his head in order to look at Anakin.

“No, Master,” Anakin shook his head, as he sat down next to him, “I am not angry at you, but I do have some questions about what exactly happened while I was away.”

“Of course, you do,” Obi Wan sighed.

***

(Republic Prison)

Boba was silent as the guards escorted him out of his cell and toward the visitor center, which made zero sense to him, since the only visitors he had during his entire sentence was the Jedi, Ahsoka Tano and her Clone Captain Rex.

“Commander Thorn?” he wondered why he was here; he had never bothered with him before.

“Boba,” Thorn sighed as he handed over his release papers. “You are being released.”

“What?” Boba grabbed the datapad and read over the release forms but was curiously when he read the ‘custody’ section. “Released into the custody of who though? Who’s Arla?”

“Your Aunt,” Thorn replied as he motioned for Stone to permit the admittance of a middle aged Mandalorian into the room.

“Su cuy'gar Boba,” Arla Fett stated as she stared in disbelief at her nephew.

“Su cuy'gar,” Boba replied as he studied the women claiming to be his Aunt in shocked wonder.

***


End file.
